(Effective until July 1, 2025)
PDFWAC 246-810-010
Definitions.
The definitions in this section apply throughout this chapter unless the content clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Agency" means:
(a) An agency or facility operated, licensed, or certified by the state of Washington to provide a specific counseling service or services;
(b) A federally recognized Indian tribe located within the state; or
(c) A county as listed in chapter 36.04 RCW.
(2) "Agency affiliated counselor" means a person registered under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is engaged in counseling and employed by an agency listed in WAC 246-810-016 or an agency recognized under WAC 246-810-017 to provide a specific counseling service or services.
(3) "Certified adviser" means a person certified under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is engaged in private practice counseling to the extent authorized in WAC 246-810-021.
(4) "Certified counselor" means a person certified under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is engaged in private practice counseling to the extent authorized in WAC 246-810-0201.
(5) "Client" means an individual who receives or participates in counseling or group counseling.
(6) "Consultation" means the professional assistance and practice guidance that a certified counselor receives from a counseling-related professional credentialed under chapter 18.130 RCW. This may include:
(a) Helping the certified counselor focus on counseling practice objectives;
(b) Refining counseling modalities;
(c) Providing support to progress in difficult or sensitive cases;
(d) Expanding the available decision-making resources; and
(e) Assisting in discovering alternative approaches.
(7) "Counseling" means employing any therapeutic techniques including, but not limited to, social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, and hypnotherapy, for a fee that offer, assist, or attempt to assist, an individual or individuals in the amelioration or adjustment of mental, emotional, or behavioral problems, and includes therapeutic techniques to achieve sensitivity and awareness of self and others and the development of human potential. For the purpose of this chapter, nothing may be construed to imply that the practice of hypnotherapy is necessarily limited to counseling.
(8) "Counselor" means an individual who engages in the practice of counseling to the public for a fee, including for the purposes of this chapter, agency affiliated counselors, certified counselors, certified advisers, hypnotherapists, and until July 1, 2010, registered counselors.
(9) "Department" means the Washington state department of health.
(10) "Fee" as referred to in RCW 18.19.030 means compensation received by the counselor for counseling services provided, regardless of the source.
(11) "Hypnotherapist" means a person registered under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is practicing hypnosis as a modality.
(12) "Licensed health care practitioner" means a licensed practitioner under the following chapters:
(a) Physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW.
(b) Osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW.
(c) Psychiatric registered nurse practitioner licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW.
(d) Naturopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.36A RCW.
(e) Psychologist licensed under chapter 18.83 RCW.
(f) Independent clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, or advanced social worker licensed under chapter 18.225 RCW.
(13) "Private practice counseling" means the practice of counseling by a certified counselor or certified adviser as specified in WAC 246-810-0201 or 246-810-021.
(14) "Psychotherapy" means the practice of counseling using diagnosis of mental disorders according to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and the development of treatment plans for counseling based on diagnosis of mental disorders in accordance with established practice standards.
(15) "Recognized" means acknowledged or formally accepted by the secretary.
(16) "Recognized agency or facility" means an agency or facility that has requested and been recognized under WAC 246-810-017 to employ agency affiliated counselors to perform a specific counseling service, or services for those purposes only.
(17) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health or the secretary's designee.
(18) "Supervision" means the oversight that a counseling-related professional credentialed under chapter 18.130 RCW provides.
(19) "Unprofessional conduct" means the conduct described in RCW 18.130.180.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050 and 18.19.020. WSR 11-22-087, § 246-810-010, filed 11/1/11, effective 12/2/11; WSR 10-22-111, § 246-810-010, filed 11/2/10, effective 12/3/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050 and chapter 18.19 RCW. WSR 09-15-041, § 246-810-010, filed 7/8/09, effective 7/8/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050. WSR 06-08-106, § 246-810-010, filed 4/5/06, effective 5/6/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050(1). WSR 97-17-113, § 246-810-010, filed 8/20/97, effective 9/20/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. WSR 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-810-010, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.060. WSR 89-14-070 (Order PM 840), § 308-190-030, filed 6/30/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050. WSR 88-11-024 (Order PM 728), § 308-190-030, filed 5/11/88.]
(Effective July 1, 2025)
PDFWAC 246-810-010
Definitions.
The definitions in RCW 18.19.020 and this section apply throughout this chapter unless the context clearly requires otherwise.
(1) "Agency" means:
(a) An agency or facility operated, licensed, or certified by the state of Washington to provide a specific counseling service or services;
(b) A federally recognized Indian tribe located within the state;
(c) A county as listed in chapter 36.04 RCW; or
(d) After January 1, 2028, a federally qualified health center as defined in WAC 182-548-1100 that is located in Washington state.
(2) "Agency affiliated counselor" means a person registered, certified, or licensed under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is engaged in counseling and employed by, or a student intern working in, an agency listed in WAC 246-810-016 or an agency recognized under WAC 246-810-017 to provide a specific counseling service or services.
(3) "Approved educational program" means any college or university accredited by an accreditation body recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) or the United States Department of Education (USDOE).
(4) "Certified adviser" means a person certified under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is engaged in private practice counseling to the extent authorized in WAC 246-810-021.
(5) "Certified agency affiliated counselor" means an individual certified under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is practicing counseling with a recognized agency.
(6) "Certified counselor" means a person certified under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is engaged in private practice counseling to the extent authorized in WAC 246-810-0201.
(7) "Client" means an individual who receives or participates in counseling or group counseling.
(8) "Consultation" means the professional assistance and practice guidance that a certified counselor receives from a counseling-related professional credentialed under chapter 18.130 RCW and listed in WAC 246-810-026(2).
(9) "Counseling" means employing any therapeutic techniques including, but not limited to, social work, mental health counseling, marriage and family therapy, and hypnotherapy, for a fee that offer, assist, or attempt to assist, an individual or individuals in the amelioration or adjustment of mental, emotional, or behavioral problems, and includes therapeutic techniques to achieve sensitivity and awareness of self and others and the development of human potential. For the purpose of this chapter, nothing may be construed to imply that the practice of hypnotherapy is necessarily limited to counseling.
(10) "Counselor" means an individual who engages in the practice of counseling to the public for a fee, including for the purposes of this chapter, agency affiliated counselors, certified counselors, certified advisers, and hypnotherapists.
(11) "Department" means the Washington state department of health.
(12) "Hypnotherapist" means a person registered under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is practicing hypnosis as a modality.
(13) "Licensed agency affiliated counselor" means an individual licensed under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is practicing counseling with a recognized agency.
(14) "Licensed health care practitioner" means a licensed practitioner under the following chapters:
(a) Physician licensed under chapter 18.71 RCW;
(b) Osteopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.57 RCW;
(c) Psychiatric advanced practice registered nurse licensed under chapter 18.79 RCW;
(d) Naturopathic physician licensed under chapter 18.36A RCW;
(e) Psychologist licensed under chapter 18.83 RCW; or
(f) Independent clinical social worker, marriage and family therapist, mental health counselor, or advanced social worker licensed under chapter 18.225 RCW.
(15) "Mental health professional" has the same meaning as defined in RCW 71.05.020.
(16) "Psychotherapy" means the practice of counseling using diagnosis of mental disorders according to the fourth edition of the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, and the development of treatment plans for counseling based on diagnosis of mental disorders in accordance with established practice standards.
(17) "Recognized agency or facility" means an agency or facility that has requested and been authorized under WAC 246-810-017 to employ agency affiliated counselors to perform a specific counseling service, or services for those purposes only.
(18) "Registered agency affiliated counselor" means any individual registered under chapter 18.19 RCW, and this chapter, who is practicing counseling with a recognized agency. This includes student interns and juvenile probation counselors who are employees of the juvenile court under RCW 13.04.035 and 13.04.040 and juvenile court employees, providing functional family therapy, aggression replacement training, or other evidence-based programs approved by the department of children, youth, and families.
(19) "Secretary" means the secretary of the department of health or the secretary's designee.
(20) "Student intern" means a person currently completing an internship or practicum as a component of their educational degree program. A student intern may be a registered agency affiliated counselor.
(21) "Supervised experience" means any counseling experience that was attained with an active credential, during or after completion of a qualifying educational program, under the supervision of a credentialed mental health professional who can independently assess and diagnose as part of their scope of practice.
(22) "Supervision" means the oversight that a counseling-related professional credentialed under chapter 18.130 RCW provides.
(23) "Unprofessional conduct" means the conduct described in RCW 18.130.180.
[Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050, 18.19.090, 18.19.020, 2021 c 170, 2023 c 425, and 2024 c 371. WSR 25-06-010, s 246-810-010, filed 2/20/25, effective 7/1/25. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050 and 18.19.020. WSR 11-22-087, § 246-810-010, filed 11/1/11, effective 12/2/11; WSR 10-22-111, § 246-810-010, filed 11/2/10, effective 12/3/10. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050 and chapter 18.19 RCW. WSR 09-15-041, § 246-810-010, filed 7/8/09, effective 7/8/09. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050. WSR 06-08-106, § 246-810-010, filed 4/5/06, effective 5/6/06. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050(1). WSR 97-17-113, § 246-810-010, filed 8/20/97, effective 9/20/97. Statutory Authority: RCW 43.70.040. WSR 91-02-049 (Order 121), recodified as § 246-810-010, filed 12/27/90, effective 1/31/91. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.060. WSR 89-14-070 (Order PM 840), § 308-190-030, filed 6/30/89. Statutory Authority: RCW 18.19.050. WSR 88-11-024 (Order PM 728), § 308-190-030, filed 5/11/88.]